Back to the Start
by Brown Eyes Parker
Summary: Lisbon thinks she and Jane are ending something, but really they're going right back to the start. For this month's Jello-Forever forum challenge.


Back to the Start

**A Jane & Lisbon Story**

**By Hermione Potter1990**

**Summery:**

**When Lisbon thinks everything is over, she finds that they're just starting over again. For this month's "Jello-Forever" forum challenge. Prompt: On the Outside. Song thast inspired this story "the Scientist" by Coldplay.**

**Dedicated to:**

**My sisters, and brother. . . the loves of my life**

**Daddy**

**Jisbon-Fan and Tallie14**

**all of my readers**

**&**

**David**

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* * *

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**_On the outside. . . _**that's where Lisbon felt she was on the day that Red John got sentenced to the Death Penalty. On the outside, looking in at it all. She glanced at Jane, who was crammed to her side because the court room was so crowded, and wondered if he felt the same way.

But no. . . Jane always was so sure of everything. He was so sure of who he was and what he was about, and he never felt like an outsider.

He caught her eye and she looked away quickly, not wanting him to see inside her soul. . . know what she was feeling at that very moment. She didn't need him to try and make it better.

Then the sentencing was over and people still grieving the loss of loved one's were rejoicing. . . . hugging each other and crying. Lisbon caught a glimpse of Mandee Bosco weeping into a Kleenex.

"Come on," Jane whispered into her ear and taking her by the elbow. "Let's go before the media start pulling teeth."

Lisbon nodded, casting one last glimpse at Mandee before allowing Jane to lead her out of the courthouse. How they got out unnoticed would remain a mystery to Lisbon for the rest of her life. She didn't really care about how it had happened anyways, all that mattered to her was the man beside her.

"Is this goodbye?" She asked after they had found a place to get lunch.

"Goodbye?" Jane repeated. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

Lisbon shrugged and squeezed ketchup onto her burger. "You. . . I guess."

"Well. . . let's save our goodbyes for after lunch. I think it would be strange to say goodbye and leave each other even before the meal began."

Lisbon looked into her plate and squeezed back the tears that were threatening to spill over her cheeks. Suddenly, she wanted to make her last lunch with Jane last forever.

* * *

"Come with me for a drive," Jane requested when they had finally finished eating.

"But I thought-"

"I know," Jane cut her off. "But goodbye can wait until later. This won't take long, I promise."

Lisbon agreed to go with him, she didn't know why she did it. . . the longer she was with him, the harder it would be for her to say goodbye later on. Every moment spent with him was like a measure of hope added to the stores of her heart. . . like maybe they could-

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind where it belonged and allowed Jane to help her into his car.

They drove to the cemetary where Janes's wife and daughter was buried. The cemetery where Sam Bosco had been laid to rest.

"Jane, I don't understand. . ."

"Just wait here, I'll be back in a little bit," Jane said.

But Lisbon couldn't wait in the car. She gave him a head-start and than got out to follow him. The first stop he made was at Sam's gravesite.

"Hey Bosco," he said. "I'm just here to tell you that. . . that Red John's is going to die. He's going to get what he deserves. I'm sorry I couldn't kill him for you. I was planning on doing it the whole time. Only something. . . somebody, stopped me in the end. Oh! And I'm still taking care of Lisbon-"

There was a huge crack of thunder and the rest of his words were lost on Lisbon. "Oh, come on!" she muttered.

"Well. . . goodbye Sam," Jane finished. "Rest in peace."

And he was moving again. This time he stopped at his wife and daughter's graves. He smiled like they were right in front of him. "Hi girls. . . Red John was sentenced today. He got the Death penalty. You don't know how much I wanted to kill him myself. But I couldn't even try. . . "

Lisbon felt like she was suffocating. . . Jane still hadn't gotten over his wife and daughter's deaths. She knew now, it was truly over. So, she turned and ran.

A few minutes later, Jane joined her. There was a small smile on his face and he was humming a song that she had never heard before. He looked at her and said. "Do you-"

"Just take me home Jane," she whispered. "Just take me home."

He nodded, looking like he wanted to say somethng. Thankfully, he kept silent and the drive back to the courthouse was quiet.

* * *

"So," Lisbon said, searching her pockets for her car keys. "This is it."

Jane looked up from his steering wheel. "This is it?"

"We both knew this day would come," she continued. "So, let's just make goodbye. . . this last goodbye as quick and as painless as possible.

"Quick and painless?" Jane repeated. "Lisbon, I have no intention of ever saying goodbye. I mean, if you want to we'll say goodbye. But I'm not going to let you go without a fight."

Lisbon pulled her hand away from the doorhandle quickly. "_What!? But Jane-"_

"I know what I said in the past has led you to believe. . . well, things I wish you didn't believe. I never meant to hurt you that way."

"You never hurt me," she said quietly.

"I said goodbye. . . for real today. I mean, to my wife and daughter. I'm ready to move on. And I want to move on with you." Jane reached over and took Lisbon's hand. "I need _you _Lisbon."

Tears spilled down Lisbon's cheeks. "Oh Jane. . ."

"Say you need me too, I need to hear it."

"I need you too," she whispered. "I _need you too_!"

Jane closed his eyes and breathed out. . . almost in relief. Lisbon leaned over and gently kissed his cheek.

He turned to look at her and smiled. "Come on. . . we have a lot of. . . catching up to do."

He put the car back into gear and whisked her off into the sunset. Lisbon felt that she had finally gone from being on the outside, to being safe on the inside with Jane forever.

******Fin******


End file.
